NCAA Basketball 2013: An early look at next season's top 5 teams

Louisville coach Rick Pitino and ten celebrate at the trophy ceremony after winning the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game against Michigan, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (AP Photo/John Amis)

While most basketball fans are still digesting Monday's thrilling championship game, college basketball masterminds find time to look ahead at what next season might have in store.

As a result, speculative top-25 lists are created, forecasting which teams might be at the top of next season's equally inconsequential preseason rankings.

After a train wreck of a season and an even worse foray into the postseason, Kentucky is the unanimous selection as preseason No. 1.

It makes sense, considering Wildcats coach John Calipari once again reloaded with a fantastic crop of incoming freshman. If Kentucky can land No. 1 overall recruit Andrew Wiggins, the Wildcats will have the No. 1 player at every position in next season's freshman class. That's not even fair.

Kentucky retains a handful of key players from last season, including forward Alex Poythress and center Willie Cauley-Stein, but the Wildcats' success in 2014 will be more determined by how well the freshman class gets along on the court.

At preseason No. 2, King and Eisenberg have 2013 champion Louisville taking a backseat to Kentucky with Michigan State coming in at No. 3. CBSSports.com, conversely, has Michigan State at No. 2 and Louisville at No. 3.

Either way makes sense as the the Cardinals and Spartans are stacked heading into next season.

Louisville will move on without flashy guard Peyton Siva and center Gorgui Dieng who will enter the NBA draft. Cardinals leading scorer Russ Smith will apparently also take the step to the NBA, but nothing is official.

Louisville forward Chane Behanan (21) vies for a ball against Michigan guard Caris LeVert (23) and Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) during the second half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Returning to Louisville to defend the title will be Final Four star Luke Hancock, forwards Wayne Blackshear, Chane Behanan and Montrezl Harrell, as well as sudden celebrity Kevin Ware.

With junior college transfer guard Chris Jones and four-star guard Terry Rozier added into the mix, it looks like coach Rick Pitino will have plenty to work with next season.

Michigan State bowed out of this year's tournament with a loss to Duke in the Sweet 16, but figure to be back for more in 2014.

The Spartans lose just one key player — senior center Derrick Nix — and hope to return every other key piece from this season's squad. Forward Adreian Payne and guard Gary Harris could still leave for the NBA but if both stay in East Lansing, look out Big Ten.

Arizona rolls in at No. 4 across the board, but will lose three of its top four scorers from 2013. Even so, the Wildcats should lead the way in the Pac-12 and find themselves with a high seed in next season's NCAA tournament.

Top recruits Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will join Arizona in the fall and will supplement a highly touted 2012 recruiting class that will have a year under its belt.

Coming in at No. 5 on King and Eisenberg's list is Duke, who show up seventh on CBSSports.com's list. The Blue Devils lose forward Ryan Kelly, center Mason Plumlee and guard Seth Curry to graduation and retain the rest of the roster — as is tradition under coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Duke will be without a true center unless Marshall Plumlee comes along quicker than expected, but he will be far from alone with a host of talented returners. Duke's top recruit Jabari Parker alone makes the Blue Devils a major contender in the ACC as well as in March.

That very well may be the extent of the damage to coach John Beilien's roster, but it might be much worse. Glenn Robinson III and freshman forward Mitch McGary are also thought to be mulling entering the draft. If that's the case, freshman guard Nik Stauskas would be the lone returning starter from Michigan's NCAA tournament starting five.

Just how much would that hurt the Wolverines next season? So much so that both King and Eisenberg don't list Michigan among their top-25 and instead include them as a "team to watch" next season.

If Michigan keeps a few pieces from its run to the national championship game and if Spike Albrecht keeps shooting lights-out from beyond the arc, there's no telling where the Wolverines might end up in 2014.